Expert: Rob Painter - 12/21/2010

Question
When all the oil runs out andnothings left and no oil change is due did the machanic forget to thighten something? It"s a 2006 cts cadillac.

Answer
Hello,

Interesting. First, you did not state how long it was between your last oil change and the scheduled oil change,

You did not say if you spotted oil leaks when it was parked.

I think you are going to have a hard time blaming the oil change facility for a couple of reasons. If this engine is bone dry, there are some things that make no sense.

First, I believe if this engine gets to low on oil, its suppose to cut off the fuel pump.

There is another problem here in which I find it hard to believe driving the engine to this condition was not a deliberate act if something did not blow up in the engine leaving a hole in the oil pan. The oil light or engine light would be illuminated when the engine is low on oil and the oil pressure gets to about 4 pounds.

Unless someone was oblivious to this warning or the engine through something out of the pan, I find it hard to believe the engine would be running without the oil light coming on when low on oil.


If it is bone dry, you need to be looking for an obvious hole in the block or in the pan.

Even if the oil change facility forgot to put the oil plug in. or left a loose filter on, you would realize this immediately after the oil change and the oil light would have come on minutes after you left the place. If such an event happened, when parked you would have had a huge puddle.

I think you are going to have a difficult time blaming them.

it is possible you have not told me the whole story here like the engine quit running and found it completely out of oil. Then I say, look for holes in the engine block or pan. If it is bone dry and you have been driving it, you will need a new Cadillac engine. I wouldn't trust a used engine because these aluminum engines are commonly overheated and junk.

Let me know what you find.

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